The Truth in a Painting
by Thiendrah
Summary: For the anime Cinderella Monogatari. When Zore painted Cinderella's portrait, he damaged her soul, leaving her catatonic and in Charles's care. Now, he has find a way to bring her back to herself, and protect them both from Duke Zaral's machinations.
1. Chapter 1

Cinderella Montogatari is an anime from 1995 about Cinderella (Big shock). It takes inspiration from Disney's Cinderella, but, draws it out over 26 episodes. I like this anime, a lot. There is an actual relationship between Cinderella and Charles. Granted this is because he lied about being a page, but his personality and morals are still his, he's just hiding behind a different title. And I know there are some critics who say "the relationship is irrelevant because he falls in love with the beautiful girl at the ball and forgets about Cinderella to chase her down and got lucky that it was Cinderella all along". This is not true. He never said he fell in love with the girl at the ball. The episode after the ball all he talks about is how the girl seems familiar, how he thinks he knows her, how it feels like he's known her all his life. That's why he wanted to find her, because of the sense of familiarity and the need to know why, and that's why he was so happy that it was Cinderella who he was seeking. So that is my very quick back story to this anime and I hope some of you will look it up and enjoy. I'll include a link to the English episodes on YouTube so y'all can watch it and see what I mean. So, on with the story. I own nothing but this idea.

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><p>Charles jerked his head up, not able to remember falling asleep in the first place. He quickly glanced around the painter's cluttered studio, when his eyes fell on Cinderella, slumped unmoving on the couch nearby. A bolt of terror lanced through him as he surged out of his chair to her side.<p>

"Cinderella!" He exclaimed. He shook her shoulder gently; she swayed listlessly. "Cinderella, can you hear me?" He gently cupped her cheek and turned her face to him. Her eyes were half-lidded and empty, all light gone and completely dead. "What…?"

Malicious chuckling interrupted his line of though. Charles snapped his head to the right, where Zore stood before his canvas. "Cinderella will soon find eternal life, inside a lovely portrait." Zore grinned, his small eyes and over-grown eyebrows made for a very sinister picture.

"What do you mean? What did you do?" Charles took a step towards the painter, his hand reaching for his rapier at his waist.

Zore was nonplussed by the Prince's threatening manner. "As soon as I paint her other eye, you'll find out."

Charles scowled and unsheathed his sword. "I won't let you use your dark magic against Cinderella. Give me the painting!" He leveled his sword at the madman.

Zore grabbed his painting off the easel and held it in front of him, never once losing the maniacal grin. "If you wish to attack me, then by all means." Zore invited. "I have no way to defend myself. But if the young lady's portrait were to be harmed, I cannot guarantee the safety, or integrity of her soul."

Charles gasped and backed up a step, stealing a quick look towards Cinderella. 'He may be lying, but I can't chance hurting her.'

Zore chuckled again. "That's what I thought, Prince." Clutching the painting to his chest, he jumped out the window to the courtyard a floor below. Charles leaped after him.

"Get back here!" Charles shouted, as he chased Zore toward the front of the castle, no more than a few steps behind.

Zore looked over his shoulder at the chasing prince, smirking to himself. But he was brought up short by the sudden appearance of a page in his path.

"Stop, Zore!" The page drew his sword.

Zore was now pinned between the boys. If he defended against one with the painting, the other could have his chance to strike from behind.

"I won't give up this painting!" Zore cried, clutching the painting, glancing between the boys. "I won't let you take her away from me!"

"But why?" Charles asked, surreptitiously inching closer. "Why take Cinderella's soul?"

Zore eyed him critically. "You saw it, boy. You've seen how beautiful her soul is. I've not seen one like her in decades. I must have it. When I capture her soul in a portrait, her light will shine for eternity!" His voice grew increasingly frantic as he raved.

A spark flashed in his eye as his voice suddenly went cold. "But, I'm not a cruel man. All I want is the soul. The empty corpse, I leave to you."

The mad gleam in his eyes, as much as the words, sent chills down Charles' spine. But before he could attack, or even reply, the skies darkened with clouds and it poured. The portrait Cinderella slowly melted and washed off the canvas into the mud. Charles ignored the horrified expression on Zore's face and looked behind Alex to see Ms. Paulette, holding her wand to the sky.

"No! My portrait!" Zore sobbed on his knees on the paint-soaked ground. "This was the first painting I've wanted to make in a long time."

Paulette lowered her wand and looked down at Zore with eyes full of pity. "There was once a time when Zore was truly a magnificent artist; his works were beautiful and full of life. People waited months to have their portrait painted by him. One day, a terrible plague swept across the kingdom. Hundreds died, including many of the subjects of Zore's paintings. This led to a rumor that Zore's portraits were cursed, and would capture the soul of anyone he painted. The people became fearful, and drove Zore out of the kingdom. Exiled and alone, he stared to believe the rumors himself, and learned dark magic. Ever since, he has stayed locked in this castle, painting portraits of the unwary for fabulous sums of money, and stealing their souls."

Charles stared down at Zore and felt a twinge of pity, but straight away stamped it down. He hurt Cinderella and other innocent people; there was no excuse for that. He turned his attention back to Paulette. "Does that mean Cinderella's soul is freed? Is she alright?" The look of discomfort on her face did little to ease his mind.

"Washing away the portrait in water is the only way to release the trapped soul. That's how your soul was freed; Patch threw it in the river and washed it away." Paulette explained carefully. She bit her lip before continuing. "Cinderella, however, had her soul at least partially stolen twice. Patch took her away before Zore could finish her portrait the first time. She recovered part of her strength and came back to the castle and, to distract Zore from finishing your portrait, let him complete hers."

Ice settled in Charles' stomach as realization set in. Cinderella has experienced Zore's power before, and risked it again to save him. He clenched his fist, nails digging into his palm; he forced himself to focus. Paulette had never answered his question regarding Cinderella's safety. "So then what-" Charles was cut off by Patch's braying howl inside the castle. Charles started running only for Alex to stop him.

"Charles, what do we do with Zore?" He asked.

Charles looked over his shoulder at Zore contemptuously. He was still kneeling in the mud, sobbing over the now blank canvas. "Leave him, he can't do anything now. I have to make sure Cinderella is alright!" With that, he ran back into the castle, Alex hot on his heels.

Paulette didn't immediately follow; her gaze lingered on Zore before slowly shifting to the broken window of the studio, where Cinderella undoubtedly still was, and unease built in her heart.

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><p>So that's chapter one, please review, tell me how to improve, what was wrong. Review that it was good, that you watched the anime and loved it, and that I'm doing it justice. Review to say you like bananas, it's all good. Here is the link to the playlist of episodes, just remove the spaces and you'll get there. www .youtube watch?v=26OyVpLdtg8&amp; list=PLF1799C26B1E8E9ED<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

A bit longer this time, but no real action, just warning you. Thank you for reading this. I own only this idea.

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><p>Charles burst through the door and didn't break stride as he ran to Cinderella's side on the couch. "Cinderella!" He cried. "Can you hear me? Answer me!" He gripped her shoulders and gently shook her. Cinderella swayed before her chin dropped to her chest, her body limp in his hands. Charles shoved down the growing fear in his chest. "You should be alright now, please look at me!" But she didn't. Her dark blue eyes remained half-lidded and empty, gazing unfocused at the floor. "Why are you still like this?" He whispered.<p>

"Human souls weren't meant to be separated from their bodies." Charles looked over his shoulder to see Paulette enter the studio behind Alex. "When a soul leaves its body, it immediately starts to degrade, little pieces start breaking and disappearing. The longer a soul is outside, the more damage is done." Paulette explained as she came to stand in front of Cinderella and gently cupping her face. "Charles, your soul was gone only a few moments before Patch destroyed the portrait. A piece of Cinderella's soul was missing for hours before the rest was taken."

'Damage to the soul', that sounded horrific in Charles' mind. A soul was a person's identity, their personality, their ideas, dreams, memories, and loves. Charles had once met a man who'd had damage to the mind and was left a dribbling invalid, unable to speak or do anything for himself. He never recovered. The soul, which the scriptures depicted as strong yet fragile, repairable, but never quite the same, is scarred forever.

"She won't stay like this forever, will she?" Charles asked quietly. "She can heal, right?"

Paulette hesitated before answering. "She needs time to recuperate. Just like a wound to the body, wounds to the soul will eventually heal. But whether she'll be the same Cinderella as before, that remains to be seen."

That answer left a piece of ice in his stomach. "What can I do for her?" Charles asked, determined to save her.

Paulette smiled gratefully at him. "Keep her warm and safe. Make sure she's never alone. The presence of her friends will help her. I need to talk to someone, and I may find a cure." Charles nodded and lifted Cinderella easily.

"The carriage is outside." Alex said, holding the door. "Duke Zaral already fled on horseback."

"Thanks, Alex." Charles carried her quickly but carefully down the stairs.

He placed her on the seat of the carriage and sat next to her, his arm around her to keep her warm. Alex was about to close the door when barking suddenly stopped him. Patch sat behind Alex, looking longingly at the carriage. Alex exchanged a quick glance with Charles before opening the door fully and letting Patch jump on the empty seat.

Alex hopped into the driver's seat and snapped the reins, spurring the horses into motion. He snapped the reins again, this time for speed. In the back of his head, he wondered what Cinderella had done for Charles to be so concerned about her.

The ride back to the castle was quiet; Charles and Patch too worried to even make a sound. Alex pulled the carriage to a halt outside the servants' entrance, jumped down and ran to pull the door open for Charles. Patch jumped out first and waited obediently by the door. Charles gathered Cinderella in his arms and carefully stepped down, Alex placing a steadying hand under his elbow.

"We need to keep her out of sight." Charles said with a nod of thanks as Alex held the door for him. "I don't doubt Zaral has already returned. He'd find a way to take advantage of this situation, and Cinderella is vulnerable."

"But wouldn't that be a good reason to tell your parents?" The page asked as they snuck up the servants' stairs. "They'd be able to assign a guard detail to protect her, even if Zaral has too much political clout to be arrested."

The prince shook his head and quickly scanned the hallway for anyone. Seeing no one, he headed to the left towards his apartments. "Zaral has my parents wrapped around his finger. He's completely convinced them that he has my 'best interests' at heart. If I went to them with this story, no proof, no witnesses, it would be my word against his. A teenager against a well-respected, responsible man. Zaral would just use it to show my parents how irresponsible I am, or worse, convince them I'm unfit for succession."

Alex opened the door to Charles' room quickly locking the door behind them. "Couldn't Cinderella be proof? Or perhaps we could bring Zore here, have him testify that Zaral paid him to steal your soul." The idea seemed sound, but Charles quickly shot it down.

"I can't prove that Cinderella is in this state because of black magic, or that it was tried on me." Charles explained as he set Cinderella on his bed, removed her shoes and covered her up. "And losing Cinderella's portrait seemed to unhinge Zore. He wouldn't be mentally competent enough to stand trial. Zaral would dismiss him as a raving, senile old man." He looked down at her. She could've been simply sleeping, if not for her skin which was so pale she may have been made of marble; he brushed a strand of hair from her face, brushing the back of his knuckles across her cheekbone. "Besides, I couldn't do that to her, just treat her as a piece of evidence."

It took Alex no time to figure Charles wasn't talking to him anymore. He bit his lip, phrasing his words in his mind, took a deep breath and asked Charles, "Charles, who is this young maid? And why do you care so much about her? Charles didn't answer but sat on the bed beside her. Alex approached and placed a hand on Charles' shoulder. "What is this girl to you, my friend?"

Charles sighed and turned to face him. "She's the daughter of the Duke of Veal. And a very dear friend."

Alex frowned. "The Duke of Veal, you mean the ambassador? Then why is she dressed as a maid? She should be draped in silk and covered in pearls with an army of servants to carry out her every whim." This being how most dukes' daughters, Lady Isabelle included, are treated, it staggered him to think that the daughter of one of the most powerful men in the kingdom was dressed the part of the pauper.

"I don't understand it myself, but his new wife and step-daughters have misused her, forcing her to do all the chores at their manor. I don't know why they would do such a thing, or why Cinderella obeys without protest."

Alex pondered over this for a moment while Charles went into the en suite washroom. Heated by the kitchens below, there was a steady supply of water constantly being pumped up. Charles filled a basin with warm water, took a soft washcloth from a cabinet, and came back to the bed. He placed the basin on the bedside table and dipped the cloth in the water. He began to gently wash the dirt from her face and hands, Patch sat beside him, and his head drooped despondently onto the bed.

"She doesn't know you're the prince, does she?" Alex's astute observation came more as a statement than a question.

Charles halted his movements. "No, and I'd rather keep it that way."

Alex took a stab at the reason. "You're afraid she'll turn into one of the simpering sycophants who only want the money and prestige that come with the title 'Princess'."

"That's not it!" Charles snapped before forcing himself to calm. "It's just, it's so much better with her just as a nobody. The only problems to face are simple, like helping a performer with stage fright, or returning a nest of hatchlings to their tree. There's no political squabbling, not plots of corruption to stop. I don't have to analyze everything she says, wondering if she's being truthful, or just buttering me up. Not that's I believe she'd try such a thing, of course. That's not her personality. She says what she thinks. She thought I was lying about being a page to the Prince, and she said it straight out. But even if she thinks I'm a liar, she still talks to me, and listens to me. I think you would get along with her, Alex. You don't exactly pull your punches either." Charles turned to him with a grin. "What I guess I'm saying is: I think I like being Charles the Fibber more than being Prince Charles."

Alex frowned, concern and anxiety flashing in his eyes. "Charles, you can't seriously be thinking of renouncing your claim to the throne to live life as a peasant? No matter what pressures and expectations, this is how you will do the most good for our kingdom."

Charles shook his head, his grin shrunk to a small sad smile. "I would never give up the throne." Charles stated. "I know this is where I'm needed, so I can bring peace and prosperity to my people. I love my country too much to give up my position and make it easier for unscrupulous people like Zaral to take over." He said as he rested a hand on Patch's head. "Being with Cinderella is wonderful, and playing the part of civilian is fun, but this is where I belong. This is where I can best protect Cinderella and pass laws to make her life better."

Alex smiled. "She's the reason you suddenly took on your responsibilities seriously. She must be some kind of lady. I hope she wakes up soon. I would like to talk to her, too."

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><p>Lots of exposition and maybe a little angst but I like it. Please review. If you think I'm not adding enough detail, too much detail, or if you think this doesn't flow well, please tell me how to make it better. I'm planning a series of one-shots for the episodes because there are one or two that I just want to go off on a rant.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Merry Christmas! Sorry I took so long to update, but I do have some good excuses. I have to work and it is a hard job, I'm working for 10-11 hours a day. I have several hobbies, reading, needlepoint, annoying my cats, and writing, and I like to do them all equally so I can't always write. Finally, I'm very lazy. I have ideas I my head for this and other stories, but I can't be bothered to put them on paper. So if y'all can kick me in the pants once in a while, that may get me moving on this a little more. Now, onwards.

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><p>Charles explained to Alex all that Cinderella had done with him, from lying and being labeled a fibber, to taking care of her while she was sick, from chasing after her with her key, to watching her step-mother and sisters mock her for bringing home a fake ring. Alex, of course, found the whole situation amusing, snickering behind his hand as he described being caught in his ridiculous lies.<p>

"And she didn't believe you were me? Sharp girl." Alex giggled. "Yet she still can't recognize the prince even after spending so much time with you."

"Don't laugh." Charles groaned. "She doesn't know any better. I don't think she's even seen the 'prince' as himself. And I told you, she came here looking for me and got your description, of course she'd figure that out." Charles massaged his temples as Alex continued laughing, and leaned back in his chair. He held one of Cinderella's hands in his and she was starting to feel a bit warmer.

Alex finally got himself under control, still grinning. "At least she's helped uncover some of Zaral's plots. If you hadn't been with her, you never would've known Zaral was trying to use her sisters to spy on you, or that he was using an actor from the village to impersonate you. And even now, if she hadn't been at Zore's castle, who knows what would've happened to you?"

"Don't remind me." Charles said miserably. Cinderella had been hurt, and he was perfectly fine. "This isn't the way it should be." He gently rubbed her hand, looking forlornly at her. "I should have found a way to protect her."

Alex laid his hand over Charles'. "You did what you could. You couldn't have known she would be there, or that Zore would take her soul." Alex said forcefully. Charles turned to look at him in the eye. "She will be fine. Ms. Paulette said she may know a cure, and even if she can't find one, you will. You can take care of her, and break this curse. So don't worry."

Charles nodded slowly, letting Alex's words sink in. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a knock at the door. Alex went and opened it, revealing one of the king's footmen.

"Apologies for the interruption, Sir Alex, but His Majesty would like to see His Highness the Prince immediately." The footman announced in a formal, monotone voice.

Alex resisted the urge to look over his should at Charles, who was tucking Cinderella back in and straightening up. "May I ask to what this is in regards?"

The footman nodded. "His Grace, Duke Zaral, returned an hour ago, and explained to His Majesty why His Highness' portrait is delayed. He wanted to confirm the story with His Highness." The footman never once lost his monotone.

"I understand." Charles said behind Alex. Alex moved to let him through. "I'll see my father presently." As he passed Alex, he whispered, "keep an eye on her, I don't trust Zaral not to have a plan." Alex nodded discreetly.

Charles followed the footman down the hall to the throne room. The king wasn't on his throne, but was on the steps of the dais; Duke Zaral was several steps away, standing at attention, respectful of the king. The footman announced his arrival and stepped out of his way. Charles saluted his father and stood straight.

"Ah, Charles, welcome home." The king greeted him warmly. "Duke Zaral was just telling me what happened. Did you really hate the idea of having your portrait painted so much?" The king's kind smile dropped into a stern frown. "I can understand being upset if a painter's rendition is untrue to reality, but really, throwing a portrait into the river, in front of the painter no less, is completely unbecoming of a prince." The king shook his head in a disappointed fashion. "Surely your mother and I raised you to have better manners than that."

Charles blinked. He opened and closed his mouth a couple times before finding his voice. "Father, that's not what happened. It was-"

"Yes, Zaral has explained." The king talked over him. "The painter grew agitated with his own work and threw it out the window and started over. I have met many painters, Charles, not one would do that to his own work, no matter how unsatisfied he was. Its obvious to me that Zaral is covering for you." He turned to the duke, who looked to be about to say something. "And I thank you, Zaral, that is most admirable of you, but my son is a man, he must take responsibility for his own actions." He turned back to Charles. "He also told me you sent Zaral back on his own to stay and talk to the painter. I do hope one of the things you talked about was an apology to destroying his hard work."

Charles pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the onset of a headache. "Father, I did not destroy anyone's painting." Which was true enough, Patch was the one who destroyed his, Paulette's rain destroyed Cinderella's. "The painter was old, and quite…eccentric, I'm sure His Grace told you this." Charles had to fight hard to keep the sarcasm out of his voice when he said Zaral's title. "The artist was so engrossed in his painting, he became mad with grief when it was wrong. He threw the painting out the window into the river that ran alongside his home. And I did stay to talk to him." Charles lied now, trying to outplay Zaral in his game of making Charles look petty and foppish. "I tried to ask him why he became so obsessed and if he would paint my portrait again. But he wouldn't listen to me, he broke down in tears and wouldn't say another word to me, so I left."

The king contemplated Charles' explanation for a moment before sighing. "Yes, Zaral did tell me the artist is a bit of an eccentric, but I suppose combined with old age, it could make a man act irrationally. But you swear to me, Charles, on your honor as Prince, that you did not humiliate or harass the man in any way?"

Charles bit his cheek, but had to lie. "Yes, Father, I give my word. I did not humiliate or harass the artist in any way."

The king looked into his eyes sternly before smiling warmly. "Good! I wanted to confirm that what Zaral said was true. Thank you, Charles. I know that sometimes, being prince is stressful, and certain people don't make it any easier." He clapped Charles on the shoulder. "You did right, trying to talk the man. Some people can't be help, but never stop trying. A king must have enough love in his heart for all his people, no matter how eccentric or strange."

Charles smiled back at his father, feeling a bit guilty for lying, but glad his father listened to him. "I understand, Father. I will remember that." Charles quickly changed the subject. "Father, since we weren't able to finish the portrait, do you mind if Alex and I go hunting for the afternoon?"

"Of course, son. You boys enjoy yourselves. After such a trying day, some recreation will do you good. But I expect you both ready for your studies tomorrow." The king put on a mock-serious face. "Your tutors tell me you two have been skiving off."

"Don't worry, Father, we'll be ready for tomorrow. I'll see you and Mother this evening at dinner." Charles saluted his father before turning to Zaral. "Duke Zaral, thank you for accompanying me for a portrait. I'm sorry that we didn't get the results expected." Charles caught the glint in Zaral's eye.

"Not at all, Your Highness." Zaral said easily, waving it off as if nothing happened. "Perhaps next time, things will go a bit more smoothly."

Charles saluted Zaral as well and turned on his heel, marching back down the hall to his room. When he opened the door, he saw Alex standing by his chair, which was occupied by Ms. Paulette. The lady stood with a smile on her face and curtsied to him.

"Ms. Paulette." Charles greeted. "Did you find a cure?" He asked, a slight quaver in his voice.

Paulette never lost her smile as she nodded. "I did." She turned and laid a hand on Cinderella's forehead. "I have an acquaintance who knows a few things about dark curses. She told me the only way to remove this curse, is with a kiss."

Charles face froze, but his ears burned. "A-A kiss?"

Paulette nodded, her grin widening. "Indeed. But not just any kiss. A kiss of true love."

Charles felt his face heat up lowly. He cleared his throat. "Wh-what do you mean by "true love"?" Charles asked as he searched his mind for references to true love that he'd read in the library.

"Hmm." Paulette hummed. "True love is being happy simply because another person exists. It's wanting them to be safe at all cost. It's wanting another person to be happy, even if you are not in their life." Paulette explained. "People find their true love in many ways. Sometimes, it happens in a flash, right at the moment you meet someone. Sometimes, it takes years, getting to know one another slowly over time. Everyone has someone they are fated to be with, everyone has someone they will love forever. It just takes a while to find each other."

Charles knew his face had to be bright red when he saw Alex chuckling on the other side of Paulette, but he ignored him. "How accurate is your information? Can your acquaintance, or her information, be trusted?"

"Oh, yes." Paulette's smile slipped just a bit. "She knows all about this curse. She's the one who taught Zore this black magic."

Charles' eyes widened. "That's even more reason to question the 'cure'!" Charles exclaimed. "She could just be tricking you, a kiss might not do anything, or make it worse."

Paulette frowned and left Cinderella's side. She walked up to Charles and looked him in the eye. "Charles, this is not just blind faith. You've heard the fairytales when you were small. Do you know why true love's kiss woke sleeping maidens? In a kiss, souls can be shared, but it only works between those who are truly in love. Because it is that connection that will allow the energy of the soul to enter another and heal all the harm. A kiss will break this curse." Paulette said sternly. "Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only one who is concerned for her safety."

She looked over her shoulder to Cinderella and was taken aback before smiling. "If you want to be the one to break that curse, you might want to hurry."

"Huh?" Charles looked past her in confusion. Patch had apparently been listening to Paulette's explanation of the cure. He loved Cinderella, why shouldn't his kiss be able to break the curse?

"Patch?" Cinderella asked in a scratchy voice. "What happened?" Patch barked happily at the sound of her voice.

Paulette smiled at the gobsmacked look on Charles' face. He looked between her and Cinderella, the question clear on his face. She decided to answer him to save him the embarrassment. "What truer love is there than that of a dog and his mistress? It seems Patch got to play Prince Charming today."

"Eh? But-but…that…I was-" Charles cut himself off with a groan. He walked to the far side of the room and dropped himself in the chair gracelessly, scrubbing his face with his hands.

Alex walked up and laid a hand on his shoulder. "You wanted to be the one to kiss her, didn't you."

"No!" Charles denied immediately. "I was just concerned is all."

"Then why is your face all red?" Alex poked him in the cheek to make a point. "You won't be blushing over 'concern'."

"Shut up, Alex."

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><p>And Paulette is still my exposition machine. If you can't figure out who Paulette has gone to see about the curse, don't worry, I'm going to do the series of oneshots and that story will be in there, somewhere. Also, I wanted the 'True Love's Kiss' in this because it doesn't feature in Cinderella like it does in other fairy tales, so I wanted to give it a try, and then subvert it. Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed, review with critiques and suggestions for improvements, thank you for reading. Final note, I wish all of you a very safe and happy Yuletide.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Okay, I owe y'all a huge apology. I did not mean for this to take so long, and the chapter doesn't really make up for it, it really not long at all. I'm sorry you had to wait, but I just had nothing for this chapter. I sat down to write this and I had no inspiration at all. I couldn't form cohesive thoughts, I couldn't articulate myself the way I wanted, I just had fragmented ideas and no words to tie them together. I am so, so so so so sorry about this. The next one will come quicker and be longer, I think. Thank you for sticking with me despite my unreliability. Here is what you waited for.

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><p>Cinderella opened her eyes and saw darkness. She was floating in an endless sea of black. Looking around, she couldn't see any light or color. She hugged herself tightly, warding off the feeling of fear.<p>

"Hello?" She called. No one answered, not even her own echo. "Where is this place?" She asked herself. She suddenly felt very acutely that she was alone. "Patch! Shushu, Bingo! Pappy, are you here?" She yelled loudly, hoping that maybe her friends were in this empty place with her. Still no answer.

Cinderella stood still for a long time, she didn't know how long. She thought back, trying to remember how she got into this place. "Let's see, Catherine and Jeanne didn't like the portrait, the painter told me about Zore, I went to Zore's mansion, Miss Paulette was there, but so was…" She trailed off, muttering to herself. Someone else had been there, she knew whoever it was had been important, and in danger. It came to her in a flash. "Prince Charles! Now I remember! Zore tried to take my soul but Patch got me out. I went back because I was worried about Miss Paulette, but I found Zore trying to take Prince Charles' soul. So I offered mine instead. That's where this is! This must be inside the portrait, this must be where the stolen souls go!" She looked around again. "But, shouldn't there be more people here? Miss Paulette said he'd been stealing souls for a long time, if this is where the souls go, then shouldn't the souls of the other people be trapped her as well?"

Cinderella pondered a moment before realizing she couldn't come up with an answer. "There's no point in just sitting here hoping for an answer, maybe there's something here that will give me a clue." She started walking, no markers or indications of which way it was. As she walked, she heard murmurings, as if people were talking behind a thick wall. "There's someone here!" She was delighted not to be alone. "Hello! I'm over here!" She started running towards the voices. "Is anyone there?"

_"Cinderella!"_ Cinderella skidded to a halt. It was her stepmother's voice. But how could that be? Her soul wasn't stolen, why was she here?

"M-mother?" She called out tentatively.

_"What are you doing there, Cinderella? Don't you know you have chores to do_?" Jeanne's voice came from the empty space this time.

_"What do you expect? We already know how lazy she is."_ Catherine's snide remark had Cinderella turning this way and that to try and find her sisters.

"Mother, Jeanne, Catherine, where are you?" Cinderella asked to the darkness. "I'm sorry I'm so late, but I can't find my way out! Please, tell me how to get out of here!"

Laughter answered her. When she didn't get any further answer, she felt afraid. She wanted to know how to escape this horrid empty place, but there was no one here. The laughter got louder, and Cinderella felt her knees start shaking; her heart was thumping hard in her chest, the fear was rising in her. The laughter was even louder now, ringing in her ears, her mother and sisters' cruel taunts stabbing her.

"No! Stop, please!" Cinderella threw her hands over her ears to block the noise. When that didn't work, she started running. She didn't know if it was back the way she had come or an entirely new direction and she didn't care. She wanted as far away from that vile laughter as she could get.

"_Cinderella, it will be alright_." Cinderella stopped as Miss Paulette's voice entered her mind. Pulling her hands away from her ears, the laughter was gone. "_Nothing here is real. It's time to come back now."_ Miss Paulette's voice was gentle and coaxing.

"Miss Paulette! Please help me, I want to come back, but I don't know the way!" Cinderella cried, tears in the corners of her eyes. "How do I leave this place?"

_"Don't worry, dear."_ Miss Paulette's voice whispered in her ear. "_We will bring you back. Just wait, and have hope."_

Cinderella swallowed hard. "I'll try, Miss Paulette." She nodded to herself. She waited moment, maybe it was hours, maybe just a few seconds; time didn't seem to matter in this place. A bell sounded in the distance; Cinderella turned and saw a speck of light, slowly growing larger. "Is that the way out?"

She decided it was and took off running for it. The light grew larger and brighter until it swallowed her whole.

Cinderella forced her eyes open; they felt like they weighed fifty pounds and sealed shut with grit. But as they opened, the blurry images of Patch and Miss Paulette leaning over her became clear, looks of relief evident on their faces.

"Mmh…Patch?" Cinderella's voice was scratchy and raw, as if she'd been screaming desperately. "What happened?"

Patch barked happily and proceeded to lick her face enthusiastically while Miss Paulette explained. "Zore trapped your soul in his painting. The portrait was destroyed, but the amount of time your soul was separated from your body caused your soul to deteriorate a little. But don't worry, with a little rest and care, you'll be just fine." Miss Paulette winked.

Cinderella looked around the room when Patch finally stopped licking her. The room was large and opulent, deep blue walls with gold damask patterns, plush red carpet with beautiful wooden furniture. The bed she lay on was large and so soft she practically sank right through it; rich red velvet curtains held back with thick gold ropes surrounded the four posts. The room kept going up and up to a tiered ceiling with gold trim; light flooded in from the floor-to-ceiling windows that covered the west wall, thick curtains on either side.

"Where am I?" Cinderella asked, not really directing the question to anyone.

"You are in His Highness' bedchamber in the Emerald Castle."

Cinderella slowly turned her head, even that took almost all her energy. The boy who spoke was a little taller than her, pale skin with straw blonde hair cut straight, as was the fashion. He wore a white chemise underneath a red and blue jerkin with black cannions, white stockings, and black shoes. Cinderella was sure she'd never seen him before, but something seemed familiar about him.

"Who are you?" Cinderella asked, or tried to; her voice was little more than a whisper.

"My name is Alex. I'm Prince Charles' page." Alex smiled gently and poured her a cup of water from a pitcher on the bedside table. He lifted her head and helped her drink enough to cool her throat. He laid her back down and continued. "Prince Charles found out about what you did for him and couldn't leave you in that state. He brought you to the castle with Miss Paulette in the hopes of finding a way to cure you."

Cinderella's face went bright red. "He did that? For me?"

Alex nodded. "You were willing to risk your life to save Prince Charles, so he wanted to save you, too."

Cinderella tried to sit up. "Where is he?" Her arms shook as she tried to push herself up. Miss Paulette gently pushed her back down.

"You need to rest now, dear." Miss Paulette said soothingly. "Having your soul removed is a very stressful event. You must rest and let yourself heal."

Cinderella felt her eyes start to close without her permission. "But I need to see him. I need to thank him." Gray was eating at her vision from the edges, but she still saw Alex smile.

"You don't have to worry. He already knows." Alex surreptitiously snuck a look at Charles from the corner of his eye. He knew his friend wanted to check on Cinderella himself, but he couldn't let her know who he was. And still dressed in his cape, doublet and trunk hose, with his hair still smooth and styled, she definitely would've unmasked him. "There will ample opportunity to talk later." He tucked her back under the covers as she gave in and blacked out.

"Thank you." Charles mouthed to him. Alex nodded and went to his side while Paulette took her seat next to Cinderella.

"What do you plan to do now?" Alex whispered. "She wants to see the Prince. What is the 'Prince' going to do when she immediately sees Charles the Fibber? Going to come clean?"

Charles felt his eyebrow tick in annoyance, but he ignored the jab. "No, I'm not coming clean." He stopped when he realized how that sounded. "I mean…I plan to tell her, eventually, but right now is not a good idea." He cleared his throat and got back to the more pressing matters. "Anyway, at the moment, Zaral is plotting something. I need to get Cinderella out of the castle and back to her family before she gets caught up in it. Then I find out what 'it' is, and put a stop to it."

Alex smirked. "Of course, Zaral comes first. So what do we do? She can barely move, but she's conscious, she's going to notice who you are and if something happens between now and getting her home, she's not going to be able to get out of the way. Neither Zaral or your father are aware she's here, so we have that in our favor, but if we linger too long, the maids or footmen might notice her and you know they have loose lips. We can't take the royal carriage and I fail to see any other option to get a catatonic girl out of here and on the road."

Put that way, the situation seemed to get more hopeless. Charles rubbed his chin, feeling the shot stubble trying to grow in, and contemplated the best option. An inkling came into the back of his mind. "Alex, do you know if Zaral got a good look at Cinderella?"

Alex blinked. "Yes, he must have. She rushed in while Zaral was painting you and he was in the room. But what does that have to do with this?"

"Zaral got a good look at her, but he might not be able to place where he's seen her. If he were to see her and recognize her, how would he react? Would he remember she's the Duke of Veal's daughter? If he did, he might back off. The duke is due back shortly; he wouldn't risk his ire by hurting his daughter. I think that might be the way we can get her out of here."

Alex frowned, before it hit him and his face cleared. "She won't look like a duke's daughter as she is, all dirty and dressed as a maid. So, what dress would look best on her?"

Charles sent a sidelong smirk to his friend, glad someone so close to him would get his meaning immediately.

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><p>Clothing Dictionary:<p>

Chemise:The white shirt the boys wear beneath the more colorful vests and jerkins.

Cannions: The shorts/pants the boys wear

Trunk hose: The kinda bubble shorts that Charles wears as the Prince

I used the Tudors TV show to get these clothing names.

Okay, so pretty up and make deception time. How are we going to do that with a girl who can't even hold herself up? Let's just say, love will find a way. See you next time which will be soon, very soon.


	5. Chapter 5

Ok, I know I promised a longer chapter, but this is about to get really complicated and long and it's much easier for me to break it up and take it a section at a time. On the upside, since I know how to word it, the next chapter (maybe 2) will be out shortly. Also, some of you might have noticed, but the dress I describe in the chapter is now the picture for this story, so if you had trouble visualizing the dress, I've added a helpful visual aid. That's more or less all I need to say. Enjoy the chapter.

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><p>Cinderella dozed with Patch standing guard beside her bed while Alex and Charles talked to Paulette and explained the plan. They would have her clean Cinderella in the adjoining bathroom and have a beautiful dress waiting for her to change into. They'd dress Cinderella to fit the position of a Duke's daughter and get her out and back home by telling people she'd come to Castle looking for news on her father's ambassadorial trip. Once they got in the carriage and were on the road back to her house, she'd change back into her own clothes so her stepmother and sisters didn't suspect where she'd been. Since Cinderella would be too exhausted to cook dinner for her family, they sneak food from the kitchens for her to bring home and serve so she could rest, the draining effects hopefully gone by morning.<p>

Paulette smiled; she was pleased the boys cared so much for Cinderella. "Of course I'll help. But she has no dress or jewelry or even any make up. Where will you get those?"

Charles smiled. "My mother is in a meeting with several foreign ambassadors today and won't be back to her chambers till this evening. I can sneak in and borrow one of her old dresses and a couple small pieces of jewelry. Those should fit her; and she doesn't really need make up."

"Oh, and why's that, Your Highness?" Paulette asked with a smirk.

"She's already pretty enough." Charles answered offhandedly before clamping his lips shut as he realized what he said. His ears started burning at the look Paulette gave him. "You don't have to say it, I know."

Alex cleared his throat, or maybe tried to avoid chuckling at his friend's expense. "Anyway, Miss Paulette, I've been meaning to ask. How did you manage to get in without being seen by the castle staff?"

"Oh, that was easy." Paulette turned to wink at Alex. "No one really notices me unless I want them to. It's a bit of a gift I have. Why do you ask?"

Alex looked a bit suspicious at her response but answered anyway. "I just wanted to make sure that none of the staff saw you come in and told Zaral about you. Will you be leaving the same way, or will you go in the carriage with Cinderella?"

"I'll come with Cinderella. I wanted to greet her family and explain to them why Cinderella is home so late. It took her a while to find a portraitist to come and paint her sisters, after all."

Charles frowned. "Wait, what do you mean? What portraitist?"

Paulette went over to her case on the table. She opened it and turned it to face the boys. Inside were pots of paint, several pieces of canvas, a painter's aisle and pallet and some charcoal sticks.

"You're a painter, Miss Paulette?" Alex asked for clarification. At her nod he continued. "But then, why didn't Cinderella come to you for a painting rather than Zore?"

"Because she didn't stop to think about it." Paulette smiled fondly. "She far too often thinks with her heart. Her mother loved an early painting by Zore that she came to love as well, so she thought that another painting by him would be just as loved. Also, she didn't know where to find me. I tend to wander, looking for inspiration for my art."

Charles nodded. "Right, thank you, Miss Paulette. Maybe this way, Cinderella won't get in too much trouble." He turned to Alex. "Let's go find a dress for Cinderella. Mother should be gone by now."

Alex followed him out the door as Miss Paulette went to wake Cinderella and help her to the washroom.

"So, do you think this plan will work, Paulette?" Patch asked when they were alone.

"It will. Those boys are clever and they can guide Cinderella through it. Besides, we'll be there to help." She winked to him. "But remember, not a word about Charles. He has to tell her in his own time and in his own way."

Patch whined. "But I don't like keeping secrets from Cinderella. She's his friend, she'd want to know."

"I know, Patch." She patted his head gently and scratched behind his ear. "But this is not the time for it, nor is it our secret to tell. Alright?"

Patch dropped his head, unhappy but acquiescent. Miss Paulette gave him one last pat on the head before waking Cinderella.

"Cinderella, dear, it's time to wake up." Miss Paulette whispered in her ear. Cinderella let out a little moan and tried to shift away from the sound waking her up. "I know you're still tired but you can't sleep anymore."

Cinderella cracked open her eyes and blinked blearily at Miss Paulette. "Wha… Miss Paulette? What's going on?"

"Time to get you cleaned and dressed, my dear." Miss Paulette said as she lifted Cinderella upright. "Alex has gone to get you a dress and you must be washed by the time he gets back."

Cinderella wrapped one arm around Miss Paulette's shoulders and stood slowly on wobbly knees. "I don't understand. Why is he getting me a dress? What's happening?" Miss Paulette led her into the washroom and sat her on a stool.

"Alex and Prince Charles believe that Duke Zaral has a plan to seize control of the castle. They want to get you to safety and stop him." Miss Paulette explained as she set the tub to fill with hot water then moved to assist Cinderella in disrobing. "To do that, we're going to dress you as you should always have been dressed: as a duke's daughter."

Cinderella stared at her, speechless as she allowed Miss Paulette to take her blouse, skirt and small clothes off. Once the tub was full, Miss Paulette added a small amount of perfume from a bottle in her pocket and helped Cinderella into the tub. Miss Paulette pulled the stool beside the tub and sat down. As she began scrubbing Cinderella's hair, the girl started thinking. "Miss Paulette, how will dressing me up help Prince Charles stop Duke Zaral?"

"It isn't to stop the duke, dear." Miss Paulette covered her eyes to rinse off the shampoo. "It's to get you to safety, as I said. Prince Charles doesn't know what Zaral is planning, but he doesn't want you to be caught up in it."

"But, Miss Paulette, surely I can do something to help. Prince Charles and Sir Alex are doing this much to protect me, can't I lend a hand?"

Miss Paulette shook her head as she began scrubbing Cinderella's back. "I'm afraid not. Until you get your strength back, you are vulnerable. It's better to follow the plan for now. You have your own responsibilities, after all."

Cinderella nodded, resigned. "Yes, you're right. I should focus on what I can do, rather than on what I wish I could do."

"That's the spirit. And one day, it might be that you can help the prince foil a treasonous plot." She rinsed Cinderella off and helped her out of the tub.

Once Cinderella was wrapped in a fluffy robe, she hobbled back into the bedroom. On the bed was a beautiful green satin dress with delicate golden embroidered details along the bodice and silk gold flowers outlining the skirt. At the end of the elbow-length sleeves was thick gold lace. On the floor was a pair of green shoes with tiny gold flower details. On the table beside the bed was a choker of emeralds and emerald earrings. Cinderella couldn't hold back her gasp.

"Is this for me?" Cinderella looked over her shoulder at Miss Paulette.

She nodded and came forward to inspect the items. "I remember this dress. Her Majesty wore this when she was about your age. The first royal ball she hosted after marrying the king. She always takes pride in the seamstresses employed at the castle, so she always asks for details and embroidery so they can show off their skills. It will look beautiful on you."

"But, it's the queen's. I couldn't possibly wear it!" Cinderella protested.

"The queen hasn't worn this is in a long time. I doubt she even remembers is anymore. It will only be for a few hours." When it looked like Cinderella would still protest, Miss Paulette decided to use her love. "And besides, the prince went to the trouble of finding something that would suit you and even found jewelry to match."

Cinderella thought about that for a moment before agreeing and allowed Miss Paulette to help her into the dress and jewelry. Once she was dressed, Miss Paulette sat her in front of a mirror and began styling her hair. She parted the hair to the right side before pulling it back into a low whorl and letting the rest hang free behind her. She was just putting on the choker and earrings when a knock came at the door. Patch sniffed at the door and wagged his tail; the visitor was friendly.

"Come in." Miss Paulette called.

Sir Alex entered and smiled when he saw how Cinderella was dressed. He bowed and extended his hand towards her. "You look beautiful, my lady. Would you allow me the honor of escorting you?"

Miss Paulette helped her stand, supporting her with a hand under her elbow and led her to Alex. Cinderella took his and he immediately hooked it to his elbow so she would have an anchor to hold herself up. He saluted Miss Paulette, who winked back, and turned, leading Cinderella out the door.

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><p>And now we move on to political intrigue, Prince Charles disguising himself about as well as Clark Kent and trying to act royal and proper. Also, I did mean what I wrote, Cinderella does think way more with her heart than her head. There are dozens of examples but just in this episode there are so many. She wants her sisters' portrait painted, so she hunts down Zore, not really knowing if he's alive or even still in the kingdom, just taking the word of a street artist, and he makes his living selling his paintings, yet she has no money to offer him, did she think he'd do it out of the kindness of his heart? There are many more to nitpick, but I'll leave it at that. Not to say she's stupid, far from it, I think she knows far more than she lets on, but she is far too kind-hearted and naive.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

Hello my lovely readers. As promised, a much quicker update and longer chapter. To be perfectly honest, I'm not really satisfied with this chapter but I can't really explain why and none of the changes I make to it seem to make me any happier with it. It flows well enough and has a touch of lovey-dovey at the end, but I just don't know about this one. I may change it later if I ever figure out what it is that bothers me. This chapter is primarily my way of standing on a soapbox and stick it to Disney who says being a princess is all about being rich and wearing pretty dresses. That idea is so ingrained that spoiled girls are called princesses even though being spoiled has nothing to do with actually being a princess. Disney has made 'princess' be all about beauty and romance and has completely removed all sense of responsibility from the title and has completely overlook the magnitude of higher titles like 'queen' or 'empress', so now all little girls want to be are princesses. Little boys want to be kings, but girls never want to be queen. This annoys me so I have taken this chapter to explain just a little of what a real princess, and queen, have to do. So, mini rant over, please enjoy the story.

By the way, big shout out to Terra King for the wonderful correspondence, pointing out of plot holes and just general inspiration that you give. Thank you!

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><p>Alex led Cinderella down the corridor towards the grand staircase, hopefully to leave the castle without being seen by too many prying eyes. Her hand shook on his arm, clinging with what little strength she had. She was using him as a counter-balance to hold herself up and walk with some semblance of normalcy. Once they reached the stairs, she gripped the railing for additional support. Alex glanced at her worriedly out of the corner of his eye; when he turned his attention to the front again, he nearly stopped short. Coming up the stairs was Duke Zaral. They met at the landing and stopped. Alex gave a short, stiff bow while Cinderella, taking her cue, dipped into a respectful curtsy, her knees thankfully not shaking noticeably.<p>

Zaral made to pass them and continue up the stairs when he noticed the girl on Sir Alex's arm. Something about her triggered his memory, so he stopped and turned to them. "Sir Alex, who is this charming young lady?" He asked gesturing to her.

"Your Grace, this is Cinderella, daughter of the Duke of Veal." Alex answered as Zaral scrutinized her face. She seemed familiar and then it hit him. The ambassador's youngest and only biological daughter.

"Of course, how rude of me to forget your face. A pleasure to meet you, Lady Cinderella." Zaral said, oozing charm as he took her hand and laid a kiss to her knuckles. "To what do we own the pleasure of your visit to the castle?"

"I came hoping for news of my father, Your Grace." Cinderella answered, her voice very soft, sounding demure and ladylike. "Letters are slow to reach home, so I came hoping that perhaps more news had reached the castle."

"Really?" Zaral raised an eyebrow. How curious, the king had received word of the Duke's progress only that morning. "Your father is doing quite well. His report arrived this morning bearing news of good relations being fostered in Lastonia. He should be returning in a month or so."

A genuine smile lit Cinderella's face. "That's wonderful news! My mother and sisters will be thrilled to hear that. Thank you, Your Grace."

"Not at all." Zaral waved off her thanks and instead switched subjects. "If you don't mind my asking, milady, when did you arrive at the castle? I was not made aware of your visit."

"She arrived little more than an hour ago, at Prince Charles' invitation." Alex answered for Cinderella before she could fumble trying to lie.

"I see. I was not aware you were acquainted with the prince, milady." He narrowed his eyes, looking at the expression on her face, trying to determine if she was a rival for his daughter.

"Only for a short time, Your Grace." Cinderella dropped her gaze to the floor, hoping he wouldn't see her lie.

"Very well. Though, Sir Alex, weren't you and the Prince going hunting for the day? Interesting that he found the time to entertain the young lady." Zaral's tone was suspicious tinged with slight mockery. The prince never stayed around the castle if he had the choice.

"Indeed, Your Grace. I was escorting Lady Cinderella to her coach and then the prince and I were leaving. Thank you for your concern."

Zaral scoffed and turned away. "Please excuse me, I have other matters to attend." Alex and Cinderella bowed as he left.

Alex quickly turned Cinderella and started walking down the stairs again. Once he was sure there no servants around, he decided that now was the time, he'd ask Cinderella what he'd been wanting to ask since she first arrived in the castle.

"Lady Cinderella," He addressed her. "Forgive me if this seems forward, but I need to ask you something important."

She nodded for him to continue, switching her focus from gripping his arm to his words.

"Is it your intention to marry Prince Charles?"

She blinked at the unexpected question. "Well, yes, I suppose I dream of it, as does every other maiden in the kingdom."

"But have you even met him in person?"

Cinderella paused to think for a moment. "A long time ago. When I was a little girl, my father brought me here to the castle, to present me to Their Majesties and His Highness. I don't remember much, except that he was constantly trying to sneak away, only for Her Majesty to catch him and bring him back."

_That sounds about right_. Alex thought wryly, before shaking it off and turning back to the topic. "But still, if you don't really remember him, how can you know you want to marry him? You don't seem like the other girls, just trying to get money and pretty dresses and a life of luxury, so why would you want to marry someone who don't know?"

"Because he's the prince." Cinderella answered simply. When it looked like Alex was going to protest, she went on. "He has so many responsibilities. He has to learn everything about our kingdom, our economy, our politics, and the grievances of everyday people. He has to learn about other countries too in order to negotiate with them. And when he's king, he'll have even more responsibilities and enjoy fewer freedoms. He wouldn't even be able to go riding once he's king because he'll have disputes to settle." She turned to face him. "My father told me all about the duties and responsibilities placed on the nobility, the royal family in particular. And I know any princess who marries Prince Charles will have a lot of work to do. She will also have to take lessons on our kingdom and neighboring kingdoms to train to be a queen. The queen has to meet with foreign ambassadors and diplomats from all over the kingdom to get a good sense of what's going on. She'd have to learn other languages and customs, and live a life of piety to set a good example for the ladies of this kingdom. She'd have to work with the king to pass legislation and make treaties." Cinderella stopped herself when she realized Alex would probably already know all this. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I understand the burdens Prince Charles carries and I want to be the one to make it just a little bit easier to bear." She looked away, a slight flush coming to her cheeks.

Alex just stared at her dumbstruck. "That's…a lot more than most girls care about." He finally settled on a response as soon as he could process that there was a girl who not only knew the real responsibilities of a princess, but also _wanted_ those responsibilities in order to help Charles despite barely knowing him.

A deep laugh came from down the corridor, causing Alex to spin around, nearly knocking Cinderella down in the process. Coming towards them was the king. "Indeed, Sir Alex." He said kindly as Alex and Cinderella dropped into deep bows. "Most young ladies have no idea the amount of work that a princess must do. We are most pleased to see a lady who knows something about responsibilities."

Alex righted himself and cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, may I present Lady Cinderella, daughter of the Duke of Veal."

"Well met, Lady Cinderella." The king greeted her. "Welcome to Emerald Castle."

Cinderella curtsied again. "It is an honor, Your Majesty."

"We haven't seen you since you were small. A pity you don't come to call more often, we're sure you were a sight to see growing up."

"Thank you for saying so, Majesty. I've been busy of late, taking care of my family while my father is away."

Alex felt sweat beading on the back of his neck as Cinderella made small talk with the King. Charles was probably wondering what was taking them so long. He was about to say something to end the conversation when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head slightly, he saw Charles, dressed this time in his clothes, in the doorway of a side corridor. He made a subtle sign behind his back. They'd be at the carriage as quickly as they could. Charles nodded and slipped back down the hallway before his father could see him. Alex turned his attention back to the conversation in front of him. Cinderella's hands were shaking so he surreptitiously slipped his hand under her elbow for support.

"I see, well any news we receive we will be sure to have forward to your home. Perhaps that will ease the Duchess's mind."

"That's very generous of you, Your Majesty. Thank you." Cinderella dipped in respect once more.

"It was very good seeing you again, Lady Cinderella. Be safe going back home." The king took her hand and kissed it as a courtesy. "Sir Alex, please make sure the lady gets to her carriage alright."

Alex bowed in acknowledgment. "Of course, Your Majesty."

The king nodded and walked passed them as they bowed him out. Once the king was out of sight, Alex let out a big sigh of relief.

"Are you alright, Sir Alex?" Cinderella asked, looking up into his pale face.

"Yes, quite alright." Alex smiled easily. "I didn't expect to run into the king. But he seemed quite taken with you. How are you feeling?"

"A bit lightheaded." Cinderella admitted.

"We need to get you home. This way." Alex led her down the hall and turned down a small servants' corridor to the courtyard. A carriage was waiting, the door open and Patch standing beside it. He let out a bark and his tail wagged upon seeing her. Miss Paulette's head popped out of the door.

"There you are." Paulette said as they approached. "We were starting to get worried."

"Sorry for the delay." Alex apologized. Cinderella reached out and petted Patch on the head and her eyes widened as Bingo and Shushu leapt from the carriage floor to the top of Patch's head and Pappy flew from Paulette's hat onto Cinderella's shoulder.

"You're all alright." Cinderella sighed in relief as she petted and caressed all of them.

"You're the one we worried about, Cinderella." Bingo squeaked, hugging her thumb as he sat in her palm.

"Shouldn't your own health be a concern?" A voice came from behind the open door. Cinderella looked up as the speaker came around to face her.

"Charles!" Cinderella let go of Alex's arm to wrap her arms around Charles. "What are you doing here?"

"I told you I lived at the palace. I don't lie about everything, you know." Charles joked.

"I'm so happy to see you. You won't believe what happened!"

"Oh, I can imagine." Charles said as he held on to Cinderella. She was shaking and holding herself up on him as much as hugging him. He tightened his arm around her waist to give more support. "Paulette told me what happened." He pulled back from her to brush a strand of hair out of her face. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you."

Cinderella smiled and shook her head. "I'm glad you weren't. I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt."

"And you think I like seeing you hurt?" Charles gripped her shoulders. "You could've died, and I wouldn't have known anything. Don't do something like this again. Promise me you won't do this again."

Charles stared hard into her eyes and Cinderella was taken aback by how strong his eyes were. She nodded without much though and Charles sighed in relief before looking at her fully and he started blushing.

"You, ah, you look nice in that dress." He looked away so she wouldn't notice his embarrassment. "Not that you don't always look good." He said quickly. "It's just, the lace and emeralds suit you. And…uh…" He trailed off while Cinderella looked up at him with wide eyes, a faint blush painting her own face.

Paulette chuckled. "Such a gentleman, Charles. You should be flattered, Cinderella."

Cinderella looked down at her shoes and nodded. "Thank you for saying." Her voice was even smaller and softer, like she was trying not to be heard.

Charles shifted his weight and shuffled his feet. He cleared his throat. "Well, shall we take you home?"

Cinderella nodded and he held her hand as she climbed into the carriage. Paulette took her other hand and supported her until she sat. Charles closed the door and climbed up next to Alex on the driver's bench. He ignored his friend's sidelong glace that was a little too knowing for his taste. Alex smiled and snapped the reigns, and they started down the road to the Duke's mansion.

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><p>One more chapter plus an epilogue and this story is done. Then its on to that one-shot series I keep building up. Please review and tell me what you think. Maybe some of y'all can figure out why is chapter doesn't sit with me. And also, if you're able you should really go and see the live action Cinderella, it's very cute and if you're a Cinderella fan, it'll do right by you. Have a great day.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry this is so late. I had trouble finding the words for this chapter. I knew what I wanted to say, but I didn't know how to say it. And when I did find the words, work picked up and I had no time or energy to write it. Thank you all for your patience and thank you Terra King for continuing to prompt and question me to get the juices flowing. Now, without further adieu, please enjoy the chapter.

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><p>While Alex and Charles drove the carriage up front, Paulette helped Cinderella change inside. It was difficult with little room to stand and maneuver but with Paulette's help, Cinderella got out of the Queen's gown.<p>

"Just a moment, Miss Paulette." Cinderella gasped. Even a simple task like taking the dress off was enough to leave her breathless. Paulette leaned her back to lay on the seat to rest and Patch gently nudged her arm with his nose, whining when she didn't respond.

"You'll be alright, Cinderella." Paulette assured her. "Your strength will return soon." When Cinderella could breath normally again, Paulette helped her back into her maid uniform and oversized shoes. And not before time. Paulette had just stored the last of the jewelry in a compartment when the carriage rolled to a halt outside the Duke's mansion. Paulette peeked out the window to see Pierre trotting out of the gatekeepers shack. He opened the door and was surprised to see Cinderella.

"Miss, we've been so worried about you!" Pierre exclaimed, reaching into the carriage to help her out. "Where on earth did you run off to, and without saying a word?" Once she was out in the sunlight, he noticed her pallor, and the fine tremble to her hands. "Miss, are you unwell?"

"She'll be fine with rest." Charles answered. He descended from the driver's bench to stand behind Cinderella, placing a hand under her elbow to steady her.

Cinderella was about to answer Pierre's original question, when the Duchess appeared in the doorway, flanked by Catherine and Jeanne, and holding Misha in her arms. "Cinderella." She called sternly, looking down her nose as Charles walked Cinderella to stand before her. "Just where have you been? The chores are not done, dinner has not been prepared; where do you get off thinking you have the right to go off gallivanting and shirk your responsibilities?"

Cinderella bit her lip and looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry, Mother. I didn't mean to be gone so long. But you see, I went to find another painter, for Catherine and Jeanne's portrait."

The Duchess sniffed derisively. "And why would you do that? If the last one you brought here is any indication, you have no eye for art. Did you pick up yet another amateur to embarrass my daughters?"

When Cinderella struggled to form a response, Paulette decided to step in. "Not at all, Your Grace." Paulette stepped forward and bobbed a quick curtsy. "My name is Paulette. I've been a painter for many years; I'm sure I will meet your expectations."

The Duchess looked her up and down, before dismissing her and turning back to Cinderella. "And why did it take you all day to find this…painter? Did it not occur to you to come home for chores and find a painter tomorrow?"

"Pardon me, Your Grace." Paulette interrupted again. "The delay was my fault. Cinderella and I have met before, that's why she came looking for me. Unfortunately, I tend to wander the countryside, to look for inspiration for my art. It took a while for her to find me. I apologize if I've caused you any inconvenience."

The Duchess rolled her eyes. "Fine, since you're here, we might was well use you." She turned to Catherine and Jeanne. "Girls, go fix your hair and then go sit on the couch. And we'll see if this painter can manage a decent portrait. And Cinderella, make dinner and finish folding the laundry." The girls ran to obey and the Duchess turned and went inside without inviting Paulette in.

Charles frowned but slowly led Cinderella to the door; he looked back over his shoulder to see Alex unloading the food from the palace. He pointed to the kitchen entrance and Alex nodded. Charles led Cinderella to the stairs of the servant's quarters, confident that Alex would set up dinner for the Duchess without problems. Cinderella looked up the stairwell and tried to suppress a shudder. Her muscles were trembling with exhaustion just to think about the three flights they'd have to climb to reach her room.

Patch looked up at her, seeing her hands tremble, tried to comfort her. "Don't worry Cinderella." He barked as he leaned against her side reassuringly. "We'll make sure you don't fall."

Charles, not understanding what Patch said, wrapped an arm around Cinderella's shoulder. "Hey, are you going to make it up the stairs? I can carry you if you can't."

Cinderella shook her head and turned to smile at him. "No, I'll be fine, I'll just have to go slowly, that's all." She glanced away for a moment and considered. "Is it alright if I lean on you, though?" She asked shyly.

Cinderella had a light pink blush that stood in stark contrast to her pale face and dark eyes. With her gaze bashfully focused on the floor, she looked so adorable Charles had to turn his head to hide his own blush. "O-of course, anything you need, Cinderella."

The trip of the stairs was very slow going; Cinderella couldn't take more than a few steps without being left panting and trembling. Patch leaned against her thigh to support her when she stumbled. It seemed like the stairs got steeper and the distance between each step got further apart as they climbed. They finally reached the second landing when Cinderella couldn't go any further. Her muscles were on fire and there wasn't enough air.

"Charles," Cinderella gasped. "Please… stop. It…hurts too much." She was hanging from his shoulder, her knees refused to support her.

Charles nodded and pulled her to sit by the landing wall under the window. Patch cuddled up to her on one side while Charles sat on her other side. Cinderella leaned her head onto his shoulder, puffing to catch her breath. The looked up the stairwell as dust motes floated down from the stairs, catching the fading sunlight to look like fairy dust. They sat in companionable silence for a while, listening to the birds out the window and Jeanne and Catherine being scolded downstairs.

"Charles." Cinderella murmured sleepily. Charles hummed in acknowledgement. "I meant what I said earlier, about being glad you hadn't been there." Charles turned his head to look at her but her eyes were glazed as they focused on the floating dust. "It was frightening, the castle, the paintings and Zore. It all frightened me. I wasn't even sure I'd get the prince out of that; if you'd been there, I would have been even more afraid. He might have taken your soul, and you'd be gone forever." She sighed and closed her eyes, leaning more fully onto his shoulder.

"I wish more than anything I could have been by your side, maybe I could've spared you this pain. I've been neglectful of you these past few weeks. My duties at the palace have been taking more and more of my time. If I had taken the time to come and see you more often, maybe we could've avoided this." Charles wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her a little closer. He looked up the stairs, bathed amber in the fading sunlight, and stood up, pulling Cinderella to her feet. "Come on, we're almost there, and you can rest on a soft bed, instead of a hard stairway."

Cinderella stifled a groan as Charles pulled her up. She swayed for a moment before he gently pulled her forward and up the stairs. Once they reached her room, Charles eased her down onto the bed and covered her up with a blanket. He went to the window to close the shutters, after letting Pappy in, and quickly returned to her side. He knelt by her side and took her hand in his.

"Just rest now." He said. He hadn't needed to say anything; her eyelids were already getting heavy. "I'll be back tomorrow. And I'll make sure this never happens again." Her eyes fell shut with a sigh. He leaned over and placed a kiss to her brow. Tucking her back under the blanket, he turned around to see Patch standing behind him. Thinking he was still worried about Cinderella, he tried to comfort him. "Don't worry, Patch." He patted the dog on the head. "She'll be alright soon."

Patch woofed at him and went to lie down beside Cinderella's bed. Satisfied that she now had a bodyguard, Charles closed Cinderella's door and went back downstairs to see how Miss Paulette and Alex were getting on with her family. In the sitting room, Miss Paulette seemed to be having no trouble painting the sisters, who were subtly elbowing each other when one tried to be more prominent than the other. Alex met him exiting the dining room, the food warm and the table set. Duchess Dalton spotted them and marched their way.

"Where is Cinderella?" She demanded in a haughty tone. "She still needs to fold the laundry, dust the chandeliers, and clean up the kitchen. Did you tell her she could lay about? I will not tolerate laziness in my house."

Charles was starting to loose his patience with this woman. He'd seen the abuse Cinderella put up with for the love of her family and the Duchess had no compunction whatsoever about taking advantage of that love for everything she was worth. He'd had enough standing by and letting her get away with it. "She's not your servant, you know." He told her curtly. Alex put a hand on his shoulder to try and calm him down, but Charles just shrugged him off. "She's your daughter, shouldn't you be treating her the same way you treat Jeanne and Catherine?"

The Duchess' eyes turned cold and dark. "How dare you address me in such a way?! I am a noblewoman, you a merely a page, little better than a stable boy. Who are you to tell me how to raise my family?" Duchess Dalton had half a mind to slap the silly boy. Coming into her house and lecturing her on how to deal with her wayward stepdaughter, it was more than insulting.

"You can't keep treating her like this!" Charles insisted. "She loves you and her sisters with all her heart, why do you repay that love with insults and work you would never ask Jeanne and Catherine to do?"

This time, the Duchess did slap him, backhanding him with her left hand, letting her wedding ring catch him on the cheek. "I have had enough of your insolence! I will not stand to be belittled in my own house! And by a child no less. I will raise my girls into proper ladies in the way I find most fitting. One more word out of you and I will see to it you are fired from your position in the castle and banished!"

Charles head snapped sideways from the force of the slap, but there was barely any pain. He was too angry to feel anything from this woman. He grit his teeth and glared at her. "Cinderella is already twice the lady Jeanne and Catherine will ever be!" The Duchess reeled as if he'd struck her, but he gave her no time for a rebuttal. "She is kind and generous and always puts the thought of others above herself. She doesn't have a single selfish desire in her entire being. She is intelligent and skilled and hard working; she knows what it takes to run a household and even a kingdom with the right man by her side. She has more grace and dignity in her little toe than you have in your whole body!" Charles reached up to wipe the trickle of blood off his cheek. "You may be a noblewoman, but you are not a lady."

His declaration left the Duchess speechless. He turned on his heel and walked out the front door, Alex right behind him. He climbed into the passenger seat of the carriage, crossed his arms and stared straight ahead, brooding. Alex sat beside him and took the reigns, snapping the horses into motion.

Alex allowed the silence to go on for some time before finally speaking up. "Should you really have said those things?"

Charles nearly snapped at him, but quelled his irritation at the last second. "What should I have done?" He sighed. "Let her keep abusing Cinderella?"

Alex shook his head. "You misunderstand, Charles. I'm not questioning your actions, only your timing. Calling out a person like that, in their own home, where their children can hear, it's a humiliation many wouldn't forgive."

Charles scoffed and shrugged his shoulders. "What should I can if she can't forgive me? Her opinion means less to me than Zaral's."

"Yes, but it isn't you she will take it out on." Charles winced at the implication but Alex continued. "You were the one who gave her the dressing down, but it was for Cinderella that you did it. She may decide that such a 'lady' shouldn't be in her house. She is a duchess, Charles. However she may behave in private, in public she has the power to dismiss anyone from her house, be they a servant or one of her daughters."

Charles groaned. "I know you're right." Charles twisted himself in the seat to see the mansion slowly shrinking in the distance. "But that's why I plan to come back tomorrow. But this time, as the real me." Alex looked at Charles from the corner of his eye, one eyebrow raised. "I'm getting Cinderella out of there. I won't let her be mistreated by that woman any longer."

Alex nodded. "I assume that means you'll finally tell your parents about her tonight?" Charles nodded. "Than I suppose I should tell the maids to start preparing the Princess' apartments so they'll be ready for her."

Charles blushed. "What are you talking about? I'm saving her, not proposing to her." He profusely denied. "She's my friend, of course I would save her." Alex nodded again, this time with a smirk on his face. "I'm not kidding, I'd do the same for you if you were the one being treated so poorly!"

"Of course you would." Alex agreed easily. "But would you kiss me goodnight the same way you kissed her?"

Charles sputtered indignantly. "It wasn't like that! It was just to give her some energy, Like Miss Paulette said."

"Oh, so you did finally kiss her!" Charles cringed when he realized he'd outed himself. "So what was it like?"

Charles crossed his arms and looked away pointedly. "Just shut up and drive."

* * *

><p>There we go. Just one more chapter in this story, and then a write the one-shots. The next chapter will be much longer and hopefully not as delayed at this one. Thank you for reading this. Please leave a review with your thoughts, opinions and suggestions for the one-shot series. See you soon.<p> 


	8. Author's Note

Alight, I know you guys are probably wondering why I haven't updated, and I know some are getting impatient. I'm sorry I haven't updated like I promised. I was working on another project. If you want to see what that project was go to my deviantart page here art/Cinderella-Rags-to-Riches-563314915. Hopefully you'll forgive me for not posting, but now that I've finished with that project, I am focused on the story again. I will finish this as soon as I can and I won't start another project until I'm done. Thank you for understanding.


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